Cartridge box filling device



Dec. 19, 1944. c. E. WALLICK 2,365,158

CARTRIDGE BOX FILLING DEVICE Filed March 10, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet l IIImI.

BY %/d 4 Arm/Mfr.

Dec. 19, 1944. c w 2,365,158

CARTRIDGE BOX FILLING DEVICE Filed March 10, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 67mins L. I WLL/CA.

A TTOR/YfY Dec. 19,1944. Q w cK 2,355,158

CARTRIDGE BOX FILLING DEVICE Filed March 10, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I l i 1| 1i 2/ n j fi II II 20 INVENTOR. 01 494 5 MLL/C/f.

' W ATTORNEY- Dec. 19, 1944.

C. E. WALLICK CARTRIDGE BOX FILLING DEVICE Filed March 10, 1942 IN VENTOR. CPA/Hi5 Z. MILL/CA M ATTORNEY,

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 19, 1944 UNl TED STA 'I' ES PATENT OFFICE 2,365,158 cARTRIDG Box FILLING IiEvIoE Charles E Wallick, Denver; Colo. Application-March 10, 1942;seria1 No."434j079 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for-filling partitioned cartons with individual items-"and more"particularly to a machine -for filling cartridge boxes.

The principal object of the invention--is-to provide a machine which willeliminate all hand labor and which willfill cartridge boxesat an extremely high rate of speed.

Otherobjectsof theinvention are'to provide a machine of this character in which empty boxes will instantly replace filledones so that the machine will 'be continuous in its operation; to provide means forcausing all of the-cartridges to fall into the boxes with their bullet extremi- -'ties;downward; and *to provide a machine in which there will be'nopossibility of-accidental discharge of the cartridges.

- Other objects and advantages'reside in the'detail construction of the invention, which 'isdesigned for simplicity, economy, and efiiciency;

These "will become more apparent from the-following description.

- In the following detailed description of' the invention reference is had to the accompanying through the --machine;'- taken on the-line 4 4,

v Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the type of receiving slot employed in the table top of the machine;

Figs. 6 and 'Z -are'crosssections through-the slot of Fig.6; taken on the lines 6"-6,'and-1 respectively;

Fig: 8 is a plan'view of the slottedportion-of the table top', taken on the line8'--B,- Fig.t9;

Fig. 9 is asection through'thefeeder portion, talren onthe line 99; Fig. 8;

F FigswlO, 11, and 12 are-diagrammatic plan views of the box shelf of the improved machine illustrating successive steps-in the' box feding operations;

Fig. 13 is a detail plan view of the box'rem'ovin'g shuttle; and *Figfi-M is a detail section through 'the fee'der 'ilor' the incoming boxes; taken on' the line I' l-=4 4, Fig-10.

"The machine may-bearranged to fill a box of anytype'having any desired number of compartments. It is more particularly intended for use with standard cartridgeboxes such as illustrated 5 at H in FigJ2. The usual cartridge box is providedwith a hinged lid 12 and is divided by a central partition 13 into two longitudinally extending" halves. "'The central partition [3 carries separating naps M which. divide each half into ten compartments, each of 'whichsupports a single cartridge l5 vertically. Thus, the standard boxes are designed to receive twentycartridges and-the present machine will be described as applied to sucha box although it is, of course, not limited'to this particular type of box.

"The'im'prov'ed machine comprises a supporting frarrielfi carrying. a table top I! upon which a slotted slide 18 reciprocates longitudinally. A chamber blockfl9 is fixedly. supported above the 'slotted' slide 48. "The table top is formed with two longitudinal series of laterally extending slots20,' therebeingten parallel slots in each series ota size to pass a horizontally positioned cartridge. The two series of-slots correspond to the compartments in-the'two halves of the box I I.

E'aohmf the slots"20 carries, at each of its extremities, two inwardly .extending projections 2i spaced-apart 'sufliciently. far to allow the bullet extremity of the cartridge to pass therethrough but not 's'ufficiently far to allow. the cap flange of the' cartridge to-pass, as-illustrated in Fig. 5. Thuswhenevera cartridge falls intoone of the s'lots"20. the cap extremity thereof will be supported for an instant until the bullet extremity swings downwardly so that all cartridges will fall' with their bullets downward regardless of their positions in theslots 20.

T-he slots in the slide 18 correspond in position and number to-the table top slots .20. The cartridges are fed into-the slots of the slide from the chamber blockl9. The. latter'is .provided with slottedchambers 49 which register with the slots ofthe slide when the slide is atone extremitylof its stroke. The slots in the slide register with the slots '20 when the slide is at the other extremityof its stroke. The slide l8 has a thickness of one cartridge, the chamber block has a thickness of two or more cartridges.

The cartridges are'fed' into the chambers 49 of the chamber-block by means of an endless-,' slotted feed belt 25 having two rows of cartridge rec'eivi'ng pocketsl-zii'which align .With'the slots in the'cham'ben block. The belt :25 :slides over the chamber-blockand passesround two belt'wheels 21", therebeine onelbelt wheel at each extremity delivery channel 31.

position to be filled, their lids |2 engage a stathrough the medium of a suitable transmission belt and the wheels 21 are driven from the countershaft 30 through the medium of a similar belt.

The slotted slide I8 is reciprocated by means of a rocking lever 3| which is journalled in suitable bearings 32 below the table top. The upper extremity of the rocking lever is connected to a suitable ear 33 on the slide l8. The rocking lever is reciprocated back and forth through the.

medium of a connecting rod 34 extending from between a pair of crank discs 35 on the 'counter-' with cartridges. The cartridges are carried across the top of the machine and over the chamber block l9. Should any of the chambers in the; block |9 be empty or partially empty, cartridges will drop from the belt into them. Should all of. the chambers be filled, the cartridges will be simply carried around with the belt until a chamber.- is ready to receive them.

At each revolution of the countershaft 30 the: slide I8 will move its slots under the chambers in. the block I9 allowing the lowermost cartridges to fall therefrom into the slots of the slide. The:

slide will then reciprocate to position its slot-s.

' over the slots 20 and all of the cartridges in the shaft 30. 'Therelation of the crank and the rocking lever is such that the slide |8 will reciprocate an amount equal to the width of the individual slots at each revolution of. the countershaft 30.

A hopper 22 is positioned below the slotted portionof the table top. This hopper is divided by means of inclined internal partitions 23 into twenty compartments, each compartment terminating over one. of the cartridge compartments of a box I2. The hopper serves to guide the cartridges falling through the slots 20 into the chambers of the cartridge box.

The empty cartridge boxes are delivered to the machine through a feed channel 36 and the filled boxes move away from the machine through a delivery channel 31. Both channels are supported on suitable shelf 38 in the frame I6. The boxes may be moved along the channels in any desired manner such 'as'by means of standard conveyor belts, such as indicated in broken line at 39 in Figs. 10 to 12. The two channels 36 and 31 are separated a distance slightly in excess of the thickness of one box. A box pusher 40 serves to push the boxes from the. feed channel 36 to the As the boxes move to the tionary lid lifting hook 48 which swings the lid upwardly and outwardly to the open position.

The boxes are removed when filled by means of a reciprocating shuttle 4|. tioned in the bottom of the delivery channel 31 and supports the entire weight of the boxes at their filling position. The pusher 40 is urged against the boxes by means of suitable compression springs 42 and is forced from the boxes against the action of the springs by means of a hinged cam follower 43. The cam follower is hinged on the bottom of the pusher and its extremity rides against a cam surface 44 formed on one side of the bottom of the shuttle 4| The shuttle is held in place beneath the bottom of'thechannel 31 by means or suitable slides 45 and it is reciprocated through the medium of a wrist pin 46'with which the extremity of the connecting rod 34 connects. The rocking-lever 3| contains a slot 41 for receiving the pin 46 so that movements- 0f t e shuttle'4 4 -The;feed hopper. is maintained-filledwith i fi lldgfl in anyadesired manner such asbymeans 0.. .5 side. 0 he machineandassthe belt passesthrough mant e... 0f..cartridges .th-'e.-;.$lot 1Z- -l hein fill the lever will be moved in synchronismwith the The shuttle is posislide will simultaneously drop, with their bullet extremities downward into the hopper 22 which.

will align them with their proper compartments in the box positioned to receive them.

As the slide |8 returns to be refilled, the shut-- tle 4| moves to the left and carries the filled. box from its position below the hopper. As the.- shuttle 4| starts to the left, as shown in Fig. 11,. the cam surface 44 acts against the follower 43 to force the pusher 40 away from the second succeeding box, as shown in Fig. 11, to relieve the pressure on the filled box so that the shuttle may remove it. The pusher continues back sufficiently far to allow a third box to enter in front of it from the feed channel as shown in Fig. 12. When the filled box has moved to the position of Fig. 12, the follower 43 will snap over the right extremity ofthe shuttle 4| allowing the springs 42 t snap the second and third boxes to the position of Fig.

10, thus placing the second empty box in position forthe next fall of cartridges. As each box moves to the filling position its lid will be lifted and opened by the lid lifting hook 48.

While the machine has been illustrated and described as used for filling boxesv with cartridges and while the claims refer to a cartridge box fillvduced lower extremity corresponding to the shape, arrangement, and position of the box to be fil1ed;- a top over said hopper provided with cartridge receiving slots, there being one slot for each hopper compartment; a slide member moving over said top and having slots corresponding to the receiving slots in said top; a chamber member above said slide member; cartridge receiving chambers in said member registering with the slots in the slide member at one extremity of the latters movement; a traveling member .moving over said chamber member;- cartridge receiving pockets in said traveling member corresponding in position and spacing to the. chambers in the chamber member; and

a feed receptacle positionedagainst said traveling member so that the latter forms a wall'of suitablebelt .:conveyor=. .(not shown) .Thehelt t vels away... from the 'hop'pen on the-upper said receptacle so that a pile of cartridges will be; held against said traveling member from whichindividualncartridges.are caught by the pockets in the traveling member. W... 2;:-.Means for feedin a .p ura1ity. oijelongated articles into vertical aligned position in;,a,.receivl-' ing-.bo'x. comprising: .a. hoppenterminating above said-then; a. .plura ity;.oi.yertically..:.extendin guide compartments in said hopper, thegupper extremities of said compartments being elongated to receive said articles horizontally, the lower extremitiesthereof being reduced to discharge said articles vertically into said" box; a

horizontal top plate covering said hopper and provided with laterally. extending elongated slots for receiving individual articles horizontal- 1y, each slot aligning with one of said: compartments; a slide. plate having similarly slots positioned to register with the first elongated slots when said" slide plate ismoved in one direction: and to misalign therewith when moved in the other direction, said slide plate having a thickness sufiicient only to allow only one of said articles to enter the slots thereof at a time; means for reciprocating said slide plate; and

meansi'or placing the articles in the slots of said charge said articles vertically into said box; a

horizontal top plate covering said hopper and provided with laterally extending elongated slotsfor receiving individual articles horizontally, each slot aligning with one of said compartments; a slidev plate having similarly elongated slots positioned to register with the first slots when said slide plate is. moved in one direction and to. misalign; therewith when moved in the;

other direction, said slide plate having a. thick? ness sufiicient only to. allow only one: of said articlesi to enter the slots thereof at a time; means for reciprocating said slide plate; a chamber plate; above said slide. plate having similarly elongated slots positioned to register with the slots in the slide plate when the latter are out of register with the slots in the top plate so that at each reciprocation each slot in the slide plate will simultaneously receive one article from said chamber plate and deposit it in a slot in said top plate.

4. Means for feeding a plurality of elongated articles into vertical aligned position in a receiving box comprising: a hopper terminating above said box; a plurality of vertically extending guide compartments in said hopper, the upper extremities of said compartments ibeing elongated to receive said articles horizontally,

the lower extremities thereof being reduced to r.

discharge said articles vertically into said box; a horizontal top plate covering said hopper and provided with laterally extending elongated slots for receiving individual articles horizontally, each slot aligning with one of said compartments; a slide plate having similarly elongated slots positioned to register with the first slots when said slide plate is moved in one direction and to misalign therewith when moved in the other direction, said slide plate having a thickness sufiicient only to allow onl one of said articles to enter the slots thereof at a time; means for reciprocating said slide plate; a chamber plate above said slide plate having similarly elongated slots positioned to register with the slots in the slide pbate when the latter are out of register with the slots in the top plate each of the slots in the chamber plate being of sufficient depth to contain a vertical pile of horizontal articles; and means for continuously filling the; slots in the chamber plate with arholes.

5. Means. for feeding a plurality of elongated articles into vertical, aligned position in a receiving box comprising: a. hopper terminating above. said box; a: plurality of vertically extending guide compartments in said hopper, the upper' extremities. of said compartments being elongated to receive said articles horizontally, the lower extremities thereof being reduced to discharge said articles vertically into said box; a horizontal top plate covering said hopper and providedwith laterally extending elongated slots for receiving individual articles horizontally, each. slot: aligning with one of said compartments; a slide ,plate having similarly elongated slots positioned to register with the first slots. when said: slide plate is moved in one direction and to misalign therewith when moved in the other direction, said slide plate having a thickness sufiicient only to allow only one of said articles to enter the slots thereof at a time; means for reciprocating said plate slide; a chamber plate above said slide plate having similarly to receive a single horizontal cartridge;

6: A cartridge box filling machine. comprising: i

a multiple compartment hopper having a re duced lower extremity corresponding;- to the,

shape, arrangement; and position of the box to be filled; a horizontal top over said hopper provided with elongated cartridge, receiving slots of suffioien-t length, to receive a cartridge horizontally, there being one slot for each hopper compartment; a slide member moving over said top and having elongated slots corresponding to the receiving slots in said top each slot being shaped and means for horizontally placing cartridges in the slots of the slide member so that the movements of the latter will simultaneously deposit the cartridges in the receiving slots of the top when the slide member slots register with the top slots.

'7. A cartridge box filling machine comprising: a multiple compartment hopper having a reduced lower extremity corresponding to the shape, arrangement, and position of the box to be filled, the compartments in said hopper being shaped to receive a cartridge in a horizontal position at the top and discharge it in a vertical position at the bottom; a horizontal top over said hopper provided with elongated cartridge receiving slots to receive a horizontally positionecl cartridge, there being one slot for each hopper compartment; a slide member moving over said top and having elongated slots corresponding in shape and position to the receiv ing slots of said top; a chamber member above said slide member; elongated cartridge receiving chambers in said member registering with the slots in the slide member at one extremity of the latters movement, each chamber being of sufiicient depth to each receive a plurality of vertically stacked horizontal cartridges; and means for placing cartridges horizontally in said chambers.

8. A cartridge box filling machine comprising: a. multiple compartment hopper having a reduced lower extremity corresponding to ;the shape, arrangement, and position of the box to be filled; a top over said hopper provided, with cartridge receiving slots, there being one slot for each hopper compartment; a slide member moving over said top and having slots corresponding to the receiving slots in said top; a chamber member above said slide member; cartridge receiving chambers in said member reg- I istering with the slots in the slide member at one extremit of the latters movement; a traveling member moving horizontally over said chamber member; elongated cartridge receiving slots in said traveling member corresponding in size, shape, position and spacing to the chambers in the chamber member so as to receive and roll.

single cartridges across the slots in the chamber member so that they will fall therefrom into the chambers of the chamber member; and means for placing cartridges in the slots of the traveling member.

9. A cartridge box filling machine comprising: a multiple compartment hopper, the compartments being shaped to receive a horizontally positioned cartridge in their upper extremity and to 'discharge a vertically positioned cartridge from their lower extremity; means for supporting a cartridge box below said lower extremities; feeding means for simultaneously feeding cartridges ments; a chamberplate for supplying cartridges to said feeding means, said chamber plate having a plurality of elongated slots of sufiicient size to horizontally receive a cartridge and of sufficient depth to contain a plurality of cartridges.

in each slot; an endless belt; a pair of spacedapart pulleys supporting said belt so that for a portion of its length it will slide over said chamber plate; a plurality of spaced-apart, laterally extending, elongated slots in said belt,

into all of said comparta each slot being. of sufficient size to contain a single horizontal cartridge, said slots lying parallel, to, the slots in said chamber plate; and means for placing cartridges in the slots of said belt so that they will be rolled over the slots in said chamber plate to maintain the latter filled as said belt travels.

' 10. A cartridge box filling machine comprising: a multiple compartment hopper, the compartments being shaped to receive a horizontally positioned cartridge in their upper extremity and to discharge a vertically positioned cartridge from their lower extremity; means for supporting a cartridge box below said lower extremities;

feeding means for simultaneously feeding cartridges into all'of said compartments; a chamber plate for supplying cartridges to said feeding means, said chamber plate having a plurality of elongated slots of suflicient size to horizontally receive a cartridge and of sufficient depth to contain a plurality of cartridges in each slot; an endless belt; a pair of spaced-apart pulleys supporting said belt so that for a portion of its length it will slide over said chamber plate; a

plurality of spaced-apart, laterally extending,

elongated slots in said belt, each slot being of sufficient size to contain a single horizontal cartridge, said slots lying parallel to the slots in said chamber .plate; means for placing cartridges in the slots of said belt so that they will be rolled over the slots in said chamber plate to maintain the latter filled as said belt travels; a feed hopper positioned adjacent said belt so that thelatter will form one of the walls of the hopper and so that the slots therein will receive cartridges from said hopper by gravity; and means for maintaining the cartridges in the slots of said belt until they reach said chamber plate.

CHARLES NALLICK. 

